


Saviour of the broken, the beaten and the damned.

by Dushenka



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Boarding School AU, Charles has a violent father, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, Erik tries to get Charles back, High School AU, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, International Baccalaureate, M/M, Sixth Form
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-26 16:31:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2658743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dushenka/pseuds/Dushenka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik Lehnsherr is a German full boarder in Genosha International College, a mutant-friendly Sixth Form school that offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Charles Xavier is a rich, cute, British weekly boarder at said school. You all know how it's going to end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Reinedutemps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reinedutemps/gifts).



> Although I have read many more Cherik fanfictions that I would actually like to admit, this is the first one I'm actually writing. I was looking for an Alternate Universe that I could manage quite easily and I ended up choosing a variation of the one I'm living right now. So, here are Charles and Erik dealing with the International Baccalaureate (for those of you who don't know what it is, it's better if you don't. It is the most tiring, stressful, life-consuming Diploma Programme one could take before university. It lasts two years, like A Levels, and generally fits with the British school system), between TOK presentations, CAS projects, UCAS deadlines and stupid boarding school rules.  
> As I am currently in the same situation as these two dorks, struggling to breathe in the stress of Year 13, I don't know how frequent updates will be, but I promise I'll try my best.  
> This is just a short prologue, the chapters will be longer.  
> Also, English is not my first language, so I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes – corrections, comments and constructive critiques are always welcome!  
> The title is a line from Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.

**Prologue**

Erik looked around while queueing up for the Passport Control in Stansted Airport. He knew it was quite silly to expect something impossible, as his friend had been in England for the last month and there was no way he could be on his side of the UK Border. It wasn't even the same airport as that first time.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realise at first when the officer called for the next person to be checked. It got him a light push from the people standing behind him – a family of four, with two small children, one of which was of a peculiar shade of lilac – and an angry look from the officer, followed by a suspicious one when he read the X code on his passport.

He didn't understand the latter, as he had queued up in the right section reserved to registered mutants, but then maybe the officer was just being a discriminatory dick by taking an extremely long time to examine his passport.

“Where are you going?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You're underage. Where are you going, all alone?” the word _mutant_ wasn't pronounced, but it was clearly implied.

“I'm going to school, term starts tomorrow.”

“And what school would you be going to?”

“Genosha International College.”

“Oh, of course, that one... and do you happen to have anything to prove that you're actually going there?” Erik's mouth opened in disbelief. Was he actually serious? Why would he lie about it?

“I do, actually” he answered, giving him his school student card. He looked a bit stupid with that very short hair he used to have at the beginning of Sixth Form, but the officer seemed to have finished his excuses to keep him waiting and gave him his documents back with a grunt.

“Have a nice stay in the UK, _homo sapiens_.” Erik wasn't sure if he actually heard those last two words, or if it was just the result of the man's hostility and his tiredness. Anyway, the officer would have been insulting himself, comparing himself to a Neanderthal.

He stood next to the baggage reclaim and turned his mobile phone on while waiting for his suitcase. No messages, not even from him. If only the whole Cuba accident hadn't happened... he let himself recall that exact time of the year before, when his life had been lightened up by those ridiculously blue eyes.

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

_He was waiting for his suitcase in front of the baggage reclaim, small in the vastity of Heathrow Airport. If only the plane company hadn't gone on strike, he could have landed at the airport which was closer to the school with his mother, but the unfortunate event had led to one more expensive ticket to the wrong airport, and quite a long train trip to get to his school. It certainly wasn't the brightest start for his new life._

_Erik Lehnsherr was about to start the IB in a mutant-friendly British boarding school, thanks to a scholarship achieved with his skills of control on his mutation, as the fees were so high that Edie couldn't have paid for them with the income of twice a lifetime. It would have probably been full of posh people, but at least he was going to have a good education in an environment that would not discriminate him for his nature, unlike it had happened in his hometown after the Mutant Registration Act._

_He tried to relax his nerves by playing with his suitcase's padlock, worried about his German accent that was too thick and his limited ability to make new friends. What if his roommate was human_ and _mutantphobe? Were mutantphobes even allowed to attend the school? He hoped not._

_He looked around, wondering how many in that mass of individuals were like him. Maybe Britan would have been different. Maybe it was detached enough from the rest of Europe that those stupid stereotypes and rumours weren't that impressed into the people's heads. The look a woman gave him when she saw the padlock being deformed was enough of an answer, as she pulled her kids away from him._

_Maybe humans were just stupid, he thought._

'Don't be rude, my friend. If you generalise like that, you're no better than them.'

 _Erik gasped and looked around as he heard that voice. No, he didn't_ hear _it. Was it his imagination? Somehow, he knew it was for him. Maybe Britain had a special mutant monitoring system that messed up with their minds in public places?_

'We might be obsessed with immigration control, but we're not _that_ bad. It's not like we're in America. Don't be afraid, you're not crazy. I am like you. Turn around.'

_Erik could feel goosebumps on his neck as he slowly turned around, not knowing what to expect, suddendly becoming aware of the presence behind him._

“ _Nice to meet you, Erik Lehnsherr. Did I pronounce it in the right way? My name is Charles Xavier. I grasped from your mind that you're going to Genosha – it's not like I intentionally read your mind, but you were projecting your thoughts quite loudly. My mother's car is waiting outside. Would you like a lift to school?”_

 


	2. A phantom to lead you in the summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik arrives to Genosha, Charles is nowhere to be found, the stress of Year 13 is already pushing on them. A nighttime meeting in the bathroom occurs. What happened in Cuba?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spot all the references - there will be more!  
> Hopefully I will manage to keep the chapter length based on this one, however posting won't be regular because I'm living the same stress as Erik and Charles down here - I literally wrote this chapter in the spare time between mock exams.  
> Anectodes like essays written at 3 a.m., illegal kettles and nocturne reunions in the bathroom are all taken from a real story.  
> A bit of angst, but don't worry, fluff will come.  
> Enjoy!

The bus was nearly empty and the world outside the window looked dark, cold and wet. Erik sighed as he stopped his suitcase from falling _again_ – that country road really needed some maintenance, or maybe it had to do with the suspicious look the bus driver gave to a kid that was now sitting at the back. It wasn't his fault if he had an extra eye in the middle of his forehead, and he was probably just twelve.

_'Don't be rude, my friend. If you generalise like that, you're no better than them.'_

Those words reappeared into his mind every time he thought about humans and discrimination, and they inevitably led to Charles. Oh, Charles.

Two whole months had passed since the last time he saw him, cheerful for the upcoming summer holidays and sad at the thought of leaving his best friend, the freckles on his nose highlighted by that rare English sunny day that made his eyes even _bluer_...

No, he had to stop this. What had happened later on was entirely his fault, and nothing could cancel his mistake now. He had destroyed his only dream (okay, maybe not the only one – getting into Oxbridge was still quite a big deal – but certainly the one that could have _saved_ him).

He nearly fell from his seat when the bus driver abruptly stopped, grunting the name of his school, and asking them to _get off quickly cause he had to work_. Well, that was just rude, and there was no reason for it apart from a certain resentment against the evident biological difference between the driver and the kids. Whatever Charles said, he wasn't always right. Charles...

The bus stop was in the middle of nowhere and quite far away from the school, despite it being the only destination reachable within walking distance. _Safety reasons for humans_ , they said. 'Surely not for mutants', he thought, as he looked at the younger kids shivering for the cold while walking under the heavy rain. He handed his jacket to the smallest girl and made their suitcases float as they walked towards the college.

The border between the private land of the school and the rest of the world was very clear: an elegant metal gate opened to a neat garden and a clean path that led to the main building, a tunnel of trees protecting them from the rain. Erik dropped the younger kids in front of their junior boarding house, leaving them chattering in Spanish as the staff offered them some hot chocolate, and headed off towards his own.

The familiar silhouette hit him with memories, his British life replacing the slice of German one he had had for the past two months. Loud Italian rap was coming from the ground floor window – probably Lorenzo again – and the staff greeted him warmly as he came in.

So that was it. Year 13 was about to start, with its load of deadlines and exams and stress; he could already feel the imminentroutine of staying up late to finish some essays coming. Was Charles already in the house? He usually arrived earlier in the afternoon, roughly at the time his flight would depart from Dusseldorf, and welcomed him with a steamy cup of tea on his desk. At least, that had happened for the past half terms. As he asked around, however, no one seemed to know whether Xavier was already in, and his door was locked, so he was probably going to arrive on Monday morning, just in time for the lessons to start.

No more cup-of-tea welcomes, no more whispered conversations in the bathroom after lights out. Well, at least he could concentrate more on his study.

“Hallo, Lehnsherr!” a blue head peeked out from behind his door. “How was your summer? It was a shame we couldn't see each other, mate!”

“It was alright, Kurt. Yeah, sucks...” he answered to his compatriot.

“Hey... you know the German coursework that is due tomorrow, right? Can I have a look at your draft? I don't really know if mine is okay...”

_German coursework._

_Due tomorrow._

_Shit._

His suitcase still half-empty on the floor, a bunch of photographs waiting to be hanged on his pinboard, he grabbed his laptop and that damned novel in translation to his (empty) desk. No, no time for Charles.

That was going to be a long night.

 _'Welcome to Year 13, Erik_ ' he told himself while writing the introduction of his essay.

 

Two cups of coffee later, made with the illegal kettle that he wasn't supposed to own in his room, he looked at the essay draft. It was probably really bad, but he was too tired to proofread it. He probably wasn't the only victim of summer procrastination in the house, working at that ridiculously late – or early – hour. He stretched his arms and growled as he realised that, as much as he wanted to just fall on his bed and sleep, he needed the toilet. Too much coffee.

As he opened the door, he looked at the corridor for few seconds, confused. Yeah, he had a new room now, and even though it was on the same floor as last year, it was the year 13 corridor, filled with single rooms. Everything was much quieter (or maybe it was just very late), and he was quite sure that he would forget which door was his. He headed to the communal bathroom (wrong direction, after a year in the old, double-roomed corridor) but stopped at the door when he heard voices from inside. They were all from the year below, and he didn't really want to force his half-asleep brain into socialising, so he turned around and went towards the stairs, headed to the top floor where the rest of his year was. If he had to meet people, at least they would have been guys he already knew and that would understand his silence and absent expression due to the lack of sleep.

The stairsteps were cold and he forgot to put his slippers on, so he was a bit more awake – and shaking – when he finally reached the bathroom.

He was washing his hands – his feet _freezing_ on the _very cold_ tiles – as someone else entered the bathroom and nearly stumbled on his back.

“I, um, I'm very sorry, half asleep, what, couldn't find glasses, this mind is a mess, wait, who is it, I'm so sorry...”

Erik froze (metaphorically this time – as if he hadn't already, literally). That voice, that soft, sleepy voice, the familiar shape and height behind him, that messy brown wavy hair.

“Charles.”

 

 

Erik Lehnsherr was standing in front of him. Erik. His Erik. No, not his Erik anymore. Or maybe yes? No, not after how he had treated him. It was all his fault.

And yet, despite his sleepy state, he could feel waves of hope and uncertainety and guilt, and he was quite confused by that. Maybe Erik didn't think it had been his fault, maybe – yes, he was blaming himelf. He felt it now. Deep inside him, Charles knew it was both of their faults, but at least now he knew that Erik wasn't angry at him.

But did they really want the same thing? Was it just a game for Erik? He didn't want to look weak in the other's eyes, he didn't want him to know about what he'd been through, so he carefully prepared a sentence in his head, and then failed to pronounce it.

“...Erik.”

“Charles” the taller one repeated. Was it the lack of sleep, Charles asked himself? It probably was.

An awkward silence filled the following gap, Erik furiously staring at the shorter boy's face, and Charles looking away. He could not meet that greenish/grey/sometimes even blue gaze. Not without falling apart and breaking down in tears in front of his former best friend. If only he hadn't gone to Cuba...

“So... you lost weight?”

Did he notice his paler face, cheeks less chubby than the last time they saw each other? Were his ribs visible through his shirt? Did he know what the reason behind all of this was? He shuddered and looked away – as if he wasn't already doing so, incapable to look at him in the eyes. After all, his intentions had been good. He had been so brave... he just didn't think about what his actions could result in.

“Are you just going to ignore me, Charles?” Erik asked, abruptly. “I mean... I'm sorry, that sounded more aggressive than I meant it to be. I'm very tired, I – I didn't really want to our first meeting back to be like this. Will you talk to me? Or just listen? Look at me? Please, Charles...”

The way his German accent, made stronger by the holidays, rolled the _r_ in his name made his stomach twist in a way that was definitely not okay. Charles forced himself to look at the taller's face, focusing on something else than his eyes. His lips might do. Nope, wrong decision, wrongest decision ever.

“Erik, I can't... I'm sorry.” hopefully this would be general enough, as he didn't really know himself what exactly he couldn't do.

“No, Charles, stay here and listen to me. I don't care if you still hate me, I'm not letting you go without an explanation.” He could feel the determination projected from the other's mind. He didn't move.

“Charles?”

“Go on, then.”

The other's eyes lit up with the realisation that he was actually going to listen.  
“Charles, I'm so, so sorry. I - I really thought what I was doing was going to be the best for you. I thought your father was going to understand how powerful you can be and let you live your life, instead he tried to break you... you don't understand how many nightmares I've had, and then you told me what he did to you, and it was all my fault, and you're perfectly right if you want to hate me because what I did was so stupid, _mein Gott_ , but please, Charles, please believe me when I say that I really wanted the best for you, and I will never be able to say sorry too many times for it, and it's all my fault, and...”

The telepath could feel the other's urge to show his feelings, and perceived his guilt and _love_ and – well, surely it was _friendly_ love, wasn't it?

“Oh, shut up, Lehnsherr.”

Erik looked at him with terror, scared that he would just walk off, instead he put his arms around the other's torso and hugged him tightly.

“It's okay, Erik. Really. I'm sorry for shutting you out, but on my defence, it's been tough. I understand. I know you're not lying. But please, the next time you plan something that big, could you tell me in advance?”

“Oh, _mein zaubermaus._ ”

“What?”

“'What' what?”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing, nothing...”

“Don't shut your mind at me, Erik Lehnsherr!”

“Come on, Charles, let it go.”

The tallest one rested his chin on the top of Charles's head and closed his eyes.

“How comes you're so tall? Did you grow up?”

“Um, I guess so? ...Okay, I'm really enjoying this moment, but I'm right about to fall asleep, so maybe it's better if I don't just drop dead on top of you, yeah?” he said, breaking the embrace. Charles could feel the relief in his other's mind, quickly replaced by tiredness and the awareness that he was not going to have nightmares about him again.  
In fact, he did look very sleepy, and he doubted he would be able to walk in a straight line. Maybe... nah. Or why not?

“Are you sure you can walk downstairs without breaking your neck? The light doesn't work on that staircase.”

“Hmmm?”

“Okay, no, you're sleeping. Let's just go to my room, it's right behind the corner.”

“What? 'you sure? It's fine, I can go...”

“Shush. Come with me. I missed you”. Did he actually just say that? Luckily, Erik was half-asleep.

“Uh-uh, as you want...”

They walked down the corridor together, Charles leading towards his room and trying to open the door as quietly as possible, given the quite indecent hour.

“Um, Charles?”

“Yeah?”

“I don't want to fall asleep. I missed you. Can you keep me awake?” he said, as he sat on the telepath's chair while the other sat on the bed.

“I think you deserve some sleep, my friend. We have school tomorrow, you know?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Come here” he said, patting the bed on the spot next to him. He sat diligently at his side and leaned backwards to rest his back on the wall.

“Charles, I want to know.”

“To know what?” _shit._ How could he know? He was quite sure that he had not been projecting, and about the physical reaction, well, it didn't look _that_ obvious...

“What happened exactly. With your father, you know. How he treated you. Your feelings and stuff. You can do that, can't you?”

“Oh, Erik... are you sure, my friend?”

“Never been surer. I don't want to miss a thing.” he looked a bit more aware now, awakened by the attention.

“I'll just... come here, okay? I'm very tired and it will probably make me pass out – I mean, in the sleeping sense, but if I'm laying down I don't risk to fall on the floor. And honestly, I don't think you'll last much longer, my friend.”

They laid down next to each other, shoulders brushing, and Charles turned on one side to put his hand on Erik's temple. Erik moved his fingers to lock the door, just in case they stayed like that until the morning call came around. That would have been weird to explain.

“Whatever you see, don't be upset. I'll be mainly refreshing your memories about it, putting them in order and adding some of my mental images and emotions. It's the past, nothing can change it, and it won't happen again. Okay?”

“Okay.”

He closed his eyes and recalled those painful memories, hanging on to the ones Erik already had.

 

“ _Hey, Lehnsherr, do you have a spare minute? I need to talk to you.”_

“ _Sure, is it for Maths? I'm free this afternoon if you want to do some revision for that differentiation test next week...”_

“ _No, it's not Maths, it's just – can we talk about it in private?”_

“ _Sure, tell me.” the German boy entered an empty classroom as the younger pupils stormed out in the corridor for break time._

“ _So, um, I know you're openly gay, and I was wondering... can you keep a secret?”_

 

“ _Honestly, I don't see where the problem is, Charles.”_

“ _I don't think I can handle everyone knowing, I mean, I'm already different because of this” he gestured to his head “what's going to happen when they find out that I'm even more... not natural?”_

“ _Bisexuality IS natural, Charles, just chill. It's fine. Come out when you're ready. Is it your family?”_

“ _Well... I don't know if my mother would actually care, she doesn't really pay attention to me or Raven. But I think my father would definitely not react well, and I'm kind of scared of him, he's very conservative and probably homophobic...”_

 

_00.03: I seriously can't handle this anymore. This is bullshit._

_00.03: whats wrong?_

_00.04: My father's being an arsehole and I really want to go back to England but I have to spend the whole damn summer here in Cuba. I wish I was a teleporter._

_0.05: hm. cant you just make him agree with you with ur magical powers?_ ★

_0.05: Why did you send me a star?? Are you drunk?_

_0.07: its because ur a fairy, charles! you read into peoples mind! ur magical!_

_0.07: Thanks for appreciating my masculinity, my friend._

_0.07: oh pls, dont start with the masculinity thing again_

_0.08: Says the one that looks like a model_

_0.08: thought you were pissed off but clearly the mental image of my body is more important ;)_

_0.08: A wink? Seriously? Are you flirting with me, Erik Lehnsherr?_

_0.09: was that an implied 'no homo'? :o_

_0.13: Sorry, father again. He's been complaining about homosexual marriage becoming legal in some parts of America all day and clearly doesn't mean to stop soon._

_0.13: sorry for u_

_0.13: what a dickhead_

 

 

_12.46: Erik help I just did a massive mistake_

_12.48: wow not using punctuation_

_12.48: sorry. it means its serious?_

_12.49: Very serious. I might just have come out to my father. Accidentally, I mean._

_12.49: WHAT????_

_12.49: What did he say?????_

_12.50: are you okay? Is he mad at you? Wish i could control metal from that far away_

_12.50: so you would be safe_

_12.52: WHY ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING i am seriously worried now_

_12.55: It's fine, Raven is talking to him. For now, his offences are just verbal. I don't care. I'm fine._

 

 

_22.30: Are you there? I think he just came home drunk._

_22.41: sorry here i am. evrything alright?_

_22.49: Charles?_

 

 

_07.01: He tried to beat me but I'm fine. I managed to stop him, although a drunk mind is quite difficult to make reasonable. Hope it doesn't happen again._

_07.01: u know if i could id be beating the shit out of him just for trying to hurt you. Asshole._

_07.02: You know prefer not to use violence, my friends, but thanks anyway._

 

 

_14.05: Oh. My. God. Someone hacked the Xavier's company website and they wrote shit about my father everywhere because he's so conservative and close-minded. Looks like some Anonymous thing..._

_14.06: (He kind of deserves it though)_

_14.08: You're welcome ;)_

_14.08: WHAT THE HELL ERIK_

_14.08: Please tell me it wasn't you_

_14.09: This is serious._

_14.10: You said you didn't want any violence so i did what i could. I know some people. It's non-violence :) We want the same thing, right?_

_14.12: Erik Lehnsherr, my father's company image has been destroyed and they even found massive donations to organisations that suppot LGBT rights. It's not about me, it's so much bigger, don't you understand? It's all messed up. If he finds out I'm the cause, I'm basically dead._

_14.13: i thought this was what you wanted... sorry..._

 

_15.40: Charles?_

 

_23.54: helloooo? do you hate me?_

 

_17.32: seriously worried now._

_17.32: pls answer_

_17.33: are you mad at me?_

 

_02.00: CHARLESSSSS_

 

_16.11: Hi, it's Raven here. Charles is at the hospital. Dad found his phone on the table and accidentally read the messages and got very mad. He said it was his fault and insulted him for being bisexual (which by the way I totally approve). Charles tried to control him but he was very upset and dad realised what he wanted to do, so got even angrier and pushed him down the stairs. He nearly broke his spine, but he will be fine. We're coming back to England as soon as he's out of the hospital._

_16.12: Sorry, he also asked me to tell you that he doesn't want to talk to you. Seriously though, it was a very stupid thing to do, in my opinion. He told me to block you, sorry about that. Goodbye, Erik._

 

 


End file.
